By Rachel Riley, The Gazette
COLORADO SPRINGS — Proposed changes to El Paso County commissioner districts have drawn the ire of local residents who say county officials should have involved the public sooner.
At a hearing at the commissioners’ regular Thursday meeting, Clerk and Recorder Chuck Broerman presented three options for changing the district boundaries, kicking off a 30-day comment period for residents to voice their opinions on the proposals before commissioners vote on the plans in late June.
“For every single governmental decision, there should be a robust public input early in the process, not just a window for public comment near the end, when options have been narrowed, choices are limited, maps already drawn and presented,” said Gary Fornander, a board member of Colorado Common Cause, a nonprofit that advocates for government transparency.
A group of about 10 protesters gathered outside Centennial Hall, where the hearing was held, toting signs with slogans such as, “Gerrymandering is cheating” and, “Why didn’t you ask us?”